MacNN Rating:

Price: $70.00 US

The Good

Well designed case. Removable handle. Allows you to use Mac without removing case.

The Bad

When secured with the straps in the case, the Mac doesn’t sit right on the support disks. No room for accessories.

A MacBook case worthy of your attention is the Moshi Codex. Aevoe, creators of the Moshi line of products, have created an elegant product for any of the MacBook series.

The rules of good notebook case design dictate that it should not be too tight and there should be a certain amount of glide when you put your equipment away. When you're in a hurry, you shouldn't have to fumble about or struggle with the covering. Another rule is that it should project the right image, i.e. look good without much flash, unless that is your preference. A stylish design should be discreet or tastefully bold and the Moshi Codex holds your laptop with just that right amount of style.

Gorgeous Sleeve

The Moshi Codex is gorgeous to look at or touch, plus does a proper job of protecting your notebook. The Codex allows you to use your Mac without taking it out of the case. Simply unzip, open, and you're ready to rock and roll.

I have not seen another case that allows you to use your notebook while still in the case. This portable and compact solution doesn't add bulk or weight. The Moshi Codex succeeds in this area because when you zip it up, somehow to the naked eye, the whole thing looks smaller than the notebook itself.

Product Packaging

Before I speak more about the case, one thing that has become important over the past few years is product packaging. Users that take pictures of each package-opening step and post it on web sites, as well as videos on YouTube reinforce this. Why is this important? For many people it affects them consciously or sub-consciously. It generates a sense of excitement in those minutes when you take a product out for the first time. Aevoe, the designers of the Codex Moshi appear to have put as much effort in their package design as they have in the product.

The Moshi Codex Box

moshi-codex-by-oni.jpg
When I first unpacked the brown box, I thought it was the actual product. After I removed the box, I realized that this was merely the packaging, which is gorgeous with its brushed aluminum look and embossed Moshi name on the side. The box even had handles. You can carry the product in or out of the box under your arm or you can pull out the built in handles, i.e. the box mirrors the case. The package is a bit over the top, but it did what Aevoe designed it to do: To invoke excitement and catch the eye.

The Moshi Codex

Now, lets talk about the product. The Moshi Codex uses Viscotex to cushion your Mac from shocks and impact. This lightweight material absorbs shock effectively and distributes it across the surface. Upon impact, it softens the blow and then bounces back to its original form. The 15" case internal dimensions are 14.2" x 10.0 " x 1.1."

The exterior of the case is finished with a brushed metal look and is splash resistant, which I tested when it was raining heavily. It can be cleaned using leather cleaners. The inside lining is Terahedron, which helps keep your Mac clean and prevents scratching of the MacBook Pro case. In addition, the zipper is spaced far away from where your Mac sits and with its thick walls around the case, your notebook is safe from the zipper and the elements.

Moshi Codex - Photo by Oni

One of the best features of this case is the ability to use your Mac without having to remove it. When you're ready to pack up and go, you simply close it, zip it up, and go. The Mac always sits inside the case even with the screen open. Two straps are built-in to the display portion of the case, which effectively holds the display and the case together. So, when you use your Mac the cover continues to protect your notebook.

There are also round discs built in to the inside base portion of the case. These act as feet for raising your Mac up and giving it some ventilation underneath. I've yet to experience the fans kick in or feel that the notebook is overheating. You can carry the Moshi Codex under your arm like a sleeve or you can use the detachable handles to hold it briefcase style. The handle has a good secure and substantial feel to it.

Moshi Codex Feet - Photo by Oni

Accessories

Two accessories ship with the case. A cover for your Apple Remote decked out in the same stylish fashion with silver exterior. While in the case, your remote is covered but remains useable because the keys are embossed on the outside. You can't see the physical buttons and must rely on the embossing on the case to line up with the remote so you can actually hit the right keys, which it often doesn't. The remote case is more annoying than useful.

Moshi Codex Remote Cover - Photo by Oni

Also included is the ShieldPad, which is a micro fibre cloth that you can use to clean your screen and is designed to cover the keyboard when not in use. The ShieldPad also doubles as a portable mouse pad, however I fail to see how this is possible. You're meant to fold the keyboard cover in half and use it as a base for your mouse. In practice when I used it, the whole pad kept moving about, making it ineffective.

Minor Issues

Just like most other laptop sleeves, there is no room for your power adapter or an extra battery. For use around the home or in the office, the Codex excels and is great at protecting your notebook in style, but as soon as you step foot outside, you most likely want to bring your accessories with you. There just isn't room for them in the Moshi Codex. So think long and hard about what type of case you want, because you may end up carrying two bags, or have to put your computer within the Codex in another bag that can handle your accessories too.

While the case is exceptional, it did give me some trouble. Whenever I took my Mac out of the case, because the screen section of the cover overlaps the release catch, it is troublesome to get it open. I also found that the straps which holds the screen against the case haven't been positioned well, because when I've got my MacBook Pro base lined up with the feet on the enclosure side, the straps are barely holding the screen when the display is pushed all the way back. If you push the screen all the way back, the straps come off leaving the cover to fall back. I can stop this from happening by pushing the Mac to the back of the case, but then it no longer sits on the circular support discs. Moshi could solve this problem by moving the straps further down, which would hold the screen in place when it's pushed back and allow my Mac to sit on the discs.

These issues aside, I'm still very happy with the way the Moshi Codex works. Its great look and quality design means the Moshi Codex is a serious contender if you're looking for a case for your Mac. The Codex is available in silver or black for all the MacBooks, and a red version has been added for the 13-inch MacBook.